The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) identified concerns regarding data validation for IPHC Regulatory Area 2A as documented in the 2016 Report of Assessment and Research Activities (IPHC 20171). The IPHC currently does not have access to direct estimates of sublegal discards in the Pacific halibut fishery in Regulatory Area 2A due to the lack of observer coverage. Further, the IPHC must rely on logbook-reported discards of legal Pacific halibut and is unable to determine accurate weight-per-unit-effort estimates when legal discards occur due to trip limits. In order to obtain more accurate estimates of both Pacific halibut mortality and associated catch rates, the IPHC is working with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to implement observer coverage for this fishery to fill these important data gaps. This observer coverage will also provide direct data on discards of non-Pacific halibut species, including any protected species, to NMFS, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the State agencies, an improvement upon the current process of extrapolating these data from the annual IPHC fisheries-independent setline survey. The IPHC is looking forward to working with Regulatory Area 2A permit holders and NMFS staff on meeting this need and successfully implementing the observer program for the 2017 Regulatory Area 2A directed commercial fishery.

CALL TO VESSEL CREW IN ALL REGULATORY AREAS TO MARK HALIBUT SEX AT SEA

Hats for ALL crew who participate … and jacket lottery draw to be awarded to 3 vessels.

We are asking for your assistance in marking fish as either male or female while dressing them at sea, so that the port samplers can add sex information from the Pacific halibut that they sample to the length and age data that they routinely collect.

COMPLETION AND SUBMISSION OF LOGBOOKS FOR THE ALASKA COMMERCIAL HALIBUT AND SABLEFISH FISHERIES

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) has collected logbook information since the 1930s. The weight per unit effort, gear, and location information from the logbook is essential for the annual stock assessment and aids in determining the condition of the Pacific halibut resource. We have been successful in managing the resource primarily because of cooperation from participating harvesters. IPHC regulations require the operator of any vessel commercially fishing for Pacific halibut, that has an overall length of 26 feet or greater, to maintain a logbook. All detailed trip information obtained and retained by the IPHC is kept strictly confidential and cannot be subpoenaed because of IPHC immunities as an international organization.

REGULATION REQUIRING THE LANDING AND REPORTING OF HALIBUT WEIGHTS WITH THE HEAD INTACT

Beginning in 2017, IPHC Regulations require that all commercial Pacific halibut must be landed and weighed with their heads attached for data reporting purposes (fish ticket – USA, validation record – Canada) and be subject to the 32-inch minimum size limit. The only exception to this requirement is that vessels that freeze Pacific halibut at sea may possess and land their frozen fish with the head removed and subject to the 24-inch minimum size limit. This regulation change will reduce a recently identified bias in commercial landing data.